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Yerushalayim-City of Justice and Peace Under Attack - Parashat Lech Lecha 5766 - October 23, 2015

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This week’s parasha, Lech Lecha, introduces us to our patriarchs, Avraham and Sarah, and shares with us their early encounters in eretz Canaan. After successfully retrieving his nephew Lot from capture, Avram encounters Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalem and priest of Hashem. In this encounter, Avram takes a tenth of his possessions and gives them as a gift to Malki-Tzedek – presumably to assist him in his work as a priest of Hashem.

The Midrash tells us that Malki-Tzedek is none other than Noach’s righteous son, Shem. Furthermore, our mefarshim (Ramban and others) teach us that Shalem is none other than Yerushalayim. What lesson is the Torah teaching us by using pseudonyms for Shem and Yerushalayim? Why doesn’t the Torah simply refer to Malki-Tzedek as Shem and Shalem as Yerushalayim?

The Torah seems to be teaching us a fundamental idea about the purpose of Yerushalayim from its very origins as a city. Malki-Tzedek means “king of justice”. Shalem is a variant of Shalom - “peace”. Perhaps the Torah is teaching us that, from its beginning, Yerushalayim was established as a center of justice and peace for all of humanity. When Avram donated ten percent of his assets to Malki-Tzedek, he was declaring that his work in ensuring justice and peace in the world was a vitally important endeavor. The prophet Yeshayahu teaches, ki miTzion tetze Torah – Torah comes from Zion. Certainly, many of our sefarim and greatest Rabbanim come from Israel. However, Yeshayahu is teaching more than that. He is declaring that eretz Yisrael is a beacon of Torah – its existence declares the importance of Torah and supports the promulgation of Torah. Similarly, the existence of Yerushalayim declares that justice and peace are fundamental human values. As a city universally associated with Hashem, Yerushalayim declares to the world that a society must be built on justice and peace.

We are all torn up by the violence in Israel. We all mourn the loss of life and pray for the welfare of the injured. However, our brothers and sisters are not the only casualty. Yerushalayim, the city of justice and peace, is under attack. Those who perpetuate the violence are not only attacking individuals – they are striking at the very heart of the city and its role as the center of justice and peace.

May the bereaved be comforted, may the injured be healed and may justice and peace speedily be restored in Yerushalayim and in all of Israel.

 Shabbat Shalom.
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